May 14
1800s *1886 - In American Association action, St. Louis Browns player-manager Charles Comiskey prevented a double play by running full tilt into Red Stockings second baseman Bid McPhee, enabling the Browns to win 2–1. The Cincinnati fans infuriated, but the umpire certified the play. 1900s *1906 - Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants won his first game of the season, scattering nine hits and walking an uncharacteristic seven batters, in the 6–3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The game was tied at 1-1 after eight innings, but the Giants jumped on Orval Overall for five runs on four hits and four walks in the ninth to put the game away. 1910s *1913 - At Sportsman's Park, Walter Johnson topped Jack Coombs record of 53 consecutive scoreless innings when he stretched the mark to 56 innings. But after the Washington Senators backed him with six runs, Johnson gave up a run in the fourth inning against the St. Louis Browns to end his streak of 56 scoreless innings. Ahead 9–1, Johnson was relieved by Joe Boehling and Washington won, 10–5. *1914 - Jim Scott of the Chicago White Sox pitched a no-hitter for nine innings, then lose to the Senators 1–0 in the tenth. The first hit was batted by Chick Gandil, who scored the winning run on Howard Shanks' single. It was the first of a record three nine-inning no-hitters that White Sox rookie catcher Ray Schalk will caught in his 17 years with the team. *1916 - At Robison Field, St. Louis Cardinals rookie Rogers Hornsby hit his first major league home run, off Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Jeff Pfeffer. *1918 - Sunday baseball was made legal in Washington, D.C. District commissioners rescinded the ban in view of the large increase in the city's wartime population and the need for recreation and amusement facilities. 1920s *1920 - Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson recorded his 300th win with a 9–8 victory over the Detroit Tigers. *1927: **At Baker Bowl, with the Phillies leading the Cardinals, 12–4, a section of the right field stand collapsed causing hundreds of fans to fall on the patrons below. Although there are many injuries, the only death was caused by the stampeding crowd. **Guy Bush of the Chicago Cubs and Charlie Robertson of the Boston Braves battled for 18 innings before Robertson tired and the Cubs won 7–2. Jimmy Cooney drove in the winning run and Sparky Adams contributed with four hits. Bush went 18 innings and Robertson 17 1/3. Two National League pitchers, Carl Hubbell in 1933 and Vern Law in 1955, will match Bush's marathon effort. 1930s *1933 - With rain pelting down at Ebbets Field, Hack Wilson pounded a ninth-inning pinch-grand slam, the first in Brooklyn Dodgers history, to beat Ad Liska and the Philadelphia Phillies, 8–6. The homer was inside-the-park, just the third pinch inside-the-park grand homer in major league history, and the first since 1910. 1940s *1940 - Jimmie Foxx of the Boston Red Sox hit what is believed to be the longest home run in the history of Comiskey Park in the 7–6 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Lefty Grove is the winning pitcher and Johnny Rigney, who received the titanic blast that cleared the left-field roof, was the loser. *1941 - The Dean brothers suffered setbacks in their careers. The Chicago Cubs released Dizzy while the New York Giants demoted Paul to the minor leagues. Paul will return to the major leagues two years later with the St. Louis Browns, his last season, but Dizzy won’t come return until 1947, when he makes a one-game comeback also with the Browns. 1950s *1950 - Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star first baseman Johnny Hopp hit two home runs and four singles in six at-bats, leading the Pirates to a 16–9 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the second game of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field. 1960s *1965 - Boston Red Sox left fielder Carl Yastrzemski hit for the cycle against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Yastrzemski’s historic day included two home runs and five runs batted in, but did not prevent Boston from losing the game, 12–8. Willie Horton hit two home runs for the Tigers. *1967 - Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees joined the 500 home run club when he connected against Stu Miller of the Baltimore Orioles. Mantle became the sixth major leaguer to reach 500, joining Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Willie Mays, Mel Ott and Ted Williams. Mantle’s home run helped New York to the 6–5 victory at Yankee Stadium. 1970s *1972 - Willie Mays, playing his first game with the New York Mets, hit a game-winning home run against his former teammates San Francisco Giants. Just three days earlier, the Mets had acquired Mays from the Giants for a player and cash. *1978 - Dave Kingman of the Chicago Cubs hit three home runs with eight RBI, including a game-winning three-run blast in the 15th inning against Los Angeles. The game marked the second time in his career that Kingman has hit three homers and driven in eight runs in a game at Dodger Stadium. *1977 - Jim Colborn pitched the first no-hitter in Kansas City Royals history beating the Texas Rangers, 6–0. 1980s *1983: **Ben Oglivie hit three home runs as the Milwaukee Brewers came from behind to beat the Boston Red Sox, 8–7, in 10 innings. Oglivie's third homer tied the score at 6–6 in the bottom of the ninth. **Toronto Blue Jays pitchers Luis Leal and Roy Lee Jackson combined to one-hit the Cleveland Indians, 8–1, allowing only an eighth-inning single to Chris Bando. Starter Leal tossed five hitless, shutout innings and was replaced by Jackson after a 1:42 rain delay. *1986 - California Angels slugger Reggie Jackson hit his 537th career home run to move past Mickey Mantle on the all-time list. Jackson delivered the milestone blast against Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox. *1988 - Infielder José Oquendo became the first non-pitcher in 20 seasons to get a decision, taking the loss in the 19th inning when Ken Griffey's two-out, two-run double led the Atlanta Braves over the St. Louis Cardinals, 7–5. *1989 - Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Benny Distefano became the first left-handed catcher in a major league game in nine years when he caught the ninth inning of a 5–2 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Mike Squires (1B) caught two games with the Chicago White Sox in 1980 and Dale Long (1B) caught two games for the Chicago Cubs in 1958. The first left-handed throwing catcher in major league history was Fergy Malone, who caught 27 games in 1871, and Jack Clements holds the record for left-handed catchers with 1073 games caught between 1884 and 1900. 1990s *1994 - In only his second major league appearance, Cleveland Indians pitcher Paul Shuey struck out four batters in the ninth inning of the Indians 9–3 victory over Detroit. Shuey became only the 10th pitcher in American League history, and the first rookie, to strike out four in an inning. *1996 - Dwight Gooden became the eighth pitcher in New York Yankees history to throw a no-hitter in the 2–0 victory over the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium. *1997 - At Three Rivers Stadium, Kevin Young's two-run pinch-double gave the Pittsburgh Pirates the lead and Al Martin finished a nine-run eighth inning with a grand slam as the surprising first-place Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies, 15–10. Colorado pitching gave up 13 walks and blew leads of 6–3, 7–5 and 9–6. 2000s *2000 - Although Sammy Sosa collected five hits, Henry Rodríguez had seven RBI and Eric Young stole five bases, the Chicago Cubs still managed to lose to Montreal, 16–15. The five stolen bases of Young were the most by a Cubs player since 1881 when George Gore stole seven. *2002 - At Latino-American Stadium, 77 year-old Jimmy Carter threw the ceremonial first pitch of the Cuban League All-Star game. Warming up, the former U.S. President was coached by one-time major league pitching prospect, Fidel Castro. Births *1878 - J. L. Wilkinson, Hall of Fame Negro League executive (d. 1964) *1881 - Ed Walsh, Hall of Fame pitcher and manager (d. 1959) *1890 - Alex Pompez, Hall of Fame Negro League executive (d. 1974) *1899 - Earle Combs, Hall of Fame outfielder (d. 1976) *1925 - Les Moss, catcher and manager *1936 - Dick Howser, manager (d. 1987) *1942 - Tony Pérez, Hall of Fame player and manager *1947 - Dick Tidrow, pitcher *1948 - Dave LaRoche, All-Star pitcher *1955 - Dennis Martínez, All-Star pitcher *1963 - Pat Borders, catcher *1965 - Joey Cora, All-Star infielder *1970 - Larry Sutton, infielder/outfielder *1971 - Takashi Kashiwada, pitcher *1974 - Jim Crowell, pitcher *1976 - Brian Lawrence, pitcher *1977 - Roy Halladay, All-Star pitcher Deaths *1900 - Billy Taylor, pitcher (b. 1855) *1934 - Lou Criger, catcher (b. 1872) *1940 - Harry Gaspar, pitcher (b. 1883) *1952 - Red Dooin, catcher (b. 1879) *1967 - Vic Saier, infielder (b. 1891) *1984 - Elmer Riddle, All-Star pitcher (b. 1914) *1985 - Harry Byrd, pitcher (b. 1925) *1986 - Frank O'Rourke, infielder (b. 1894) *1986 - Joe Sparma, pitcher (b. 1942) *1987 - Luke Sewell, All-Star catcher (b. 1901) *2006 - Jim Lemon, All-Star outfielder and manager (b. 1928)